


As Good As It Gets

by wolfenboy



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Awkward, Kisses, M/M, Stakeout
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-29 21:04:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20088763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfenboy/pseuds/wolfenboy
Summary: On a stakeout Liam is stuck with Theo and mulls over their stalled relationship.





	As Good As It Gets

**Author's Note:**

> I randomly started this and here it is! Also it's after midnight and I don't know if it makes sense at all so :D :D :D

Liam drummed his fingers on the dashboard as he looked out the car window. This sucked. Scott and the others were on the other side of the the city tracking down a harpy nest, which was in itself not very fun. But it was a lot more fun than sitting in a car with a grouchy chimera as they waited outside an abandoned warehouse waiting for the mastermind behind all the recent mischief to emerge.

‘Would you stop that?’ Theo hissed from the driver’s seat. Liam looked over only to find Theo’s dark green eyes glaring, then flicking down at Liam’s idle hand tapping along to an unheard beat. He glared back until Theo turned away and leaned back in his seat.

They’d been there for over four hours and minus one quick trip around the bushes for an impromptu (and slightly embarrassing) restroom break, they hadn’t moved. Or spoken. Which was Theo’s fault. Mostly. Entirely. Maybe. After they’d taken care of the last of the hunters left over from Monroe, Theo had become a loose addition to the pack. But with Scott and the others going off to school and the insane supernatural things continuing (ramping up even) Theo kept stepping in again and again over the last few months until he’d become a fixture for the next generation of Beacon Hills protectors and guardians. Even if the chimera was broody. And sullen. And would never admit that he wanted to hang around the so-called “puppy pack” as he called them. Except he very much wanted to hang out—Liam could see it. The small smiles and laughs that Mason and Corey’s antics. The silent complicitness of being dragged around by the others as they talked about video games and favourite movies. Theo never said anything or joined in, and when Liam pointed out that he was having a good time, the brooding began and Theo would slip away for a few days. It was infuriating.

Now Liam was stuck in the car with a cranky Theo waiting for the newest big bad to pop up. And it was annoying. Mostly because of all the shyness and the reluctance and the sullen moods. But also mostly because of what had happened at the hospital right after they’d witnessed actual proof that Theo Raeken actually cared about other people enough to take their pain into himself. The hospital where he swore Theo was going to kiss him. And worse, Liam was maybe going to kiss him back. But that hadn’t happened. And Liam told himself that it was all just the adrenaline of the moment. And he’d been single for awhile. And Theo was very pretty. But just when he was collecting himself and preparing to move on and deal with the remains of their little war Theo had showed up that night. Wet. Cold. Crying. Liam had dried him off and cleaned him up, not bothering to ask questions. He knew what it was like to take someone’s pain for the first time, and he suspected that Theo hadn’t cared about anyone besides himself in a long time.

They slept in Liam’s bed, facing each other. Breathing gently falling into sync. Liam’s fingers found Theo’s. Still no words. But his eyes—every word out of Theo’s mouth was a lie, but his eyes couldn’t lie. The kiss just happened. And then another, and another. They fell asleep pressed together and warm. It was the first time since he’d become a werewolf that Liam actually slept through the night without waking up, and without having a nightmare of some kind. In the morning he was alone. And Theo had become closer to the group, but more aloof whenever Liam tried to talk to him—and the beta did try. But Theo would disappear. Or deflect. Or joke. The chimera was charming enough to rally the others into his smoke screen. Nolan especially was eager to join in and be a part of the group after all that had happened.

So when Theo said “stop that”, it gave Liam and idea. That idea was to no stop as he smirked directly at the chimera. Theo’s eyes darted around as if trying to look everywhere but Liam while at the same time trying to stare him down. 

‘How long does it take to hatch a plan to destroy this stupid city?’ Theo mumbled.

‘Four and a half hours so far.’

‘Sloppy.’ Theo muttered.

‘Like you did any better.’ Liam rolled his eyes.

The look Theo shot him was a mixture of hurt and regret. Liam wished he would take it back. Mason was right—things went better when he kept his mouth shut. He was ready for Theo to go into ultra brood mode now. The chimera sucked in his breath but instead of some passive aggressive comment Theo leaned back in his seat.

‘Please. I could take this entire place down in an hour and a half.’

‘Yeah, right.’ Non-commital and neutral. Inside Liam was holding his breath.

‘With the resources they have, sure.’

‘Alright. Explain.’

‘It’d go right over your head.’ 

‘Dude! You’re like one inch taller than me.’

‘Well it wasn’t meant to be a short joke, but you called it.’ Theo smirked.

Liam fumed. He pushed the anger aside—this was the most Theo had spoken in months.

‘Try me.’ Liam challenged. Theo tiled his head.

‘Okay. Well, they have harpies and those… witch-dog things. And all that wolf’s bane.’ Theo shrugged.

‘And?’

Theo sighed as if Liam wasn’t seeing something obvious.

‘Wolf’s bane into the water supply—normal people a bit sick. Wolves, etcetera out of commission. Witch-dog things guarding the reservoir just in case there are any survivors. Harpies feast on the flesh of the innocent.’ Theo raised his hands like he’d solved some kind of equation. Liam cocked an eyebrow.

‘What?’ The chimera suddenly looked nervous—maybe the fine details had taken the joke too far. After all, it was only a year and a half ago he’d been hellbent on tearing apart the McCall pack. ‘I wouldn’t actually do it.’

‘Is that what you do in your spare time? Think of ways to destroy everything? Kill everyone?’

Theo looked away and shrugged.

‘Like I said, I’d never do it. I just can’t help it.’ He was looking at the broken windows of the warehouse as he spoke. Anywhere but Liam.

‘You want to…hurt people?’

‘No!’ Theo looked at him now. Offended. Pissed off. ‘Not you. Or any of them.’ Theo nodded outside in the direction the others were, probably all having a much better time.

‘But others—‘

Theo licked his lips. Nervous. He looked at Liam and then looked away quickly. ‘Only the ones… only the ones that try to hurt you.’

‘I don’t understand.’ Liam frowned.

‘This… the way I am. I’m not good, Liam. Not like you or any of the others. Maybe I’m not bad either. But the things I can do, the things I know, they’re definitely bad things. Evil things.’

‘You’re not—‘

Theo shook his head.

‘It doesn’t matter. I don’t even know… All that matters is that if I can take the thing inside me, all those… bad parts. And aim them at people that think they can hurt you. Tear them down. Tear them apart. That’s what matters. And I’ll do it until I can’t anymore.’ Theo nodded to himself.

‘That’s…’

‘Fucked up?’

‘Yeah, sure. But it’s also kinda… nice? I mean, totally psycho too.’ Liam smirked.

‘Yeah.’ Now Theo was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

‘And just to be clear, this… evil altruism applies to all of us? Or just me?’

‘Everyone. Except Brett. I don’t like how he looks at you. Or talks to you. Or when he’s around you.’

‘Theo…’

‘What?’

‘You’re jealous.’

‘What? No I’m not.’

‘What if I told you Brett asked me to homecoming?’ Liam smirked as Theo’s face seemed to pull in two different directions at once.

‘When.’ Theo’s tone was icy. Calculating. Suddenly Liam had terrible visions of him turning his evil plans toward the other werewolf.

‘Kidding! I’m kidding. It was a joke. Okay?’

Theo narrowed his eyes.

‘Seriously—a joke. Okay?’ Liam looked at the chimera. Theo’s chin tilted. Maybe in acknowledgement.

‘Besides, as much as Brett flirts, he’s totally into Nolan. Unless they’re into some one else at the same time. Like that one guy they—and maybe that’s a bit too much information.’ Liam trailed off. At least it didn’t look like murder was in Theo’s eyes anymore.

The noise of Theo’s fingers tapping echoed in the car.

‘So… that’s it?’

Theo shrugged.

‘We’re not gonna talk about the thing at all?’ Liam raised an eyebrow.

‘The thing.’

‘The THING.’ 

‘Oh. That thing.’

‘Yes, Theo. That thing. With the lips and the kissing.’

‘Yeah. I was there, remember?’

‘Were you? Because I’ve started to wonder if it was some crazy adrenaline-ruled hallucination.’ Liam said and the chimera snorted.

‘I can… I can prove it.’ Was Theo blushing? It was hard to tell, but he definitely wasn’t his usual brooding self. 

‘You can?’ Liam’s mouth was suddenly dry and it felt like he was on a roller coaster. Theo was closer suddenly—Liam could feel the warmth of the chimera’s skin. Theo’s finger tips on his jaw, tilting. Angling. Heart skipping a beat. A quiet kiss that was more nerves and banging teeth than anything. Theo pulled back slightly.

‘I can—‘ He cleared his throat, voice near to breaking in a moment Liam could have never imagined but made him want to wrap his arms around the chimera all the same. ‘I can do better.’ 

And then they were kissing again, and Liam was back in his bed suddenly on the same night months ago. There was nothing but him and Theo, and when they finished Liam couldn’t keep the smile off his face. Theo returned the smile after a small hesitation. Tracing Liam’s jaw. The muscles in his neck.

‘I guess we should be… on look out.’ Liam pulled away.

‘Oh, they’re not in there.’ Theo said.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Secret tunnels beneath the warehouse. Probably been gone for three hours. Maybe more.’

‘How do know?’

‘Scoped this place out before the whole murder-death-kill thing. Plus, if it was me I’d have like five ways out a place before going in.’

‘What?! We’ve been sitting here the whole time with literally one job!’ Liam yelled.

‘I thought you knew!’ Theo leaned back in his seat.

‘How would I know?!’

‘I don’t know, isn’t it common sense?’ 

‘Putting your shoes on before you tie them is common sense. Peanut butter and jam are common sense! Rubber boots in rain—common sense! You know what’s not common sense? Figuring out the plans of evil masterminds!’

‘You think I’m an evil mastermind?’

‘Please focus on the bad guy we let escape hours ago before Scott—‘ Liam picked up his vibrating phone and sighed. ‘It’s Scott.’

‘Yay.’ Theo waved his finger in the air like a flag.

‘They got them all. All of them. Including our bad guy.’

‘Great.’ Theo started the car.

‘We accomplished nothing.’ Liam slid back in the seat as Theo started to drive.

‘Wait… if you knew there was no bad guy inside, and you thought that I knew there was no bad guy, then why did you let us sit here for hours?’

‘You were being quiet. Mostly. Do you know how rare that is?’ Theo smiled. ‘Plus. You’re… nicer to look at when you’re not frown-y.’

‘I’m nicer to look at?’

‘Mmm hmm.’

‘That’s probably as good as it’s gonna get, isn’t it?’ Liam shook his head.

‘Probably.’ Liam’s mind raced as he tried to piece everything together. Everything came to a stop when Theo’s hand came to rest on his thigh.

‘Your place? Take out?’ Theo asked without taking his eyes off the road.

‘Yeah. Take out.’ Liam smiled.

‘Chinese?’

‘As long as we can have wontons.’

‘We can have all the wontons.’

Liam closed his eyes and exhaled. Most of the time he didn’t know what he was doing, or what was coming next. Or even how things would turn out. But as long as it was like this, with Theo by his side and his friends around them, Liam thought that things could never be that bad. Harpies and witch-dogs aside.


End file.
